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Glaxo sees huge rush for Pandemrix supplies

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has offered some insight into the massive windfall its seen in new vaccine sales as governments around the world gear up for an expected second wave of swine flu cases. The pharma giant says it has received orders for 440 million doses of Pandemrix, with more contracts still being negotiated.

Just last August Glaxo had said that it was sitting on orders for 291 million doses of the swine flu vaccine, which was being hustled through a clinical trial at record speed. In less than two months it has received orders for an additional 149 million doses. Health agencies have been on edge as the fall flu season arrived in October. And UK officials say they began to notice the number of cases start to rise sharply in September.

"It does suggest that during the summer months swine flu was sleeping, not dead," said Charles Stanley analyst Jeremy Batstone-Carr. "(GlaxoSmithKline's statement) is a pretty timely announcement."